1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the preparation of dihydroxylated aromatic compounds, and, more especially, to the preparation of o-dihydroxylated aromatic compounds, in particular pyrocatechol, via the oxidation of o-fuchsones.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of techniques for hydroxylating phenols are known to this art. Compare, for example, FR-A-2,071,464 and FR-A-2,266,683.
The known methods produce a mixture of diphenols with substantially equal amounts of the ortho and para isomers, but with the ortho isomer predominating.
Need continues to exist, however, in order to respond to fluctuating market demand, for an industrial process which can selectively produce one of these isomers.